Waste depot fire forces evacuation of hotel guests

A fire at a waste depot in Garforth on the outskirts of Leeds recently led to guests at a nearby Holiday Inn having to be evacuated and relocated to other accommodation in the vicinity.

150 firefighters were required to tackle the blaze at the WasteCare site, which began just after midnight last Thursday.

As well as the hotel, a number of homes in Hawthorn Terrace close to the waste depot also had to be evacuated due to the fire. Other residents were advised by the Health Protection Agency to stay inside their homes and close all windows.

The fire was eventually brought under control by 1300 BST, although the fire service reported that three of its firefighters had to go to hospital as a precaution.

The fire affected the local transport network, with major roads being closed by West Yorkshire Police for 24 hours, including the A642 Wakefield Road and the A63 Selby Road.

Despite the waste depot dealing with hazardous materials, Yorkshire Water moved quickly to confirm that local drinking water had not been affected by this incident.

When working with these kinds of products it is imperative that all workers are trained in fire safety. However, fire safety training is a legal requirement for all types of businesses and so you need to make sure your employees have been on the necessary courses.